The jade green mountain ranges and pearly sand beaches of Langkawi, once hidden treasures known mainly to coastal pirates, are now appreciated by a growing number of visitors. An archipelago consisting of 99 islands off the northwest coast of Malaysia in the southern Andaman Sea, many of the smaller isles have retained the untamed landscape that once served as havens for buccaneers. However, the 45,000 residents of the largest island, Palau Langkawi, harnessed the land’s natural resources and today this 188-square-mile island is a quiet tourism capital that competes with the much larger Penang for visitors.

Enjoying balmy breezes and an annual average temperature ranging from 77 to 90 degrees, many visitors are blissfully unaware that this serene strip of land was once the captive of a curse. According to legend, in the 18th century a maiden named Mahsuri was falsely accused of adultery and put to death. Before her sentence was carried out, the condemned woman vowed that the island would suffer bad luck for seven generations, a dire prophecy which seemed to hang over Langkawi until the 1980s and the birth of Mahsuri’s seventh-generation descendant. Ironically, today Mahsuri’s final resting place attracts visitors from around the globe, contributing to Langkawi’s transition from a remote fishing island to a premium tourist destination.

Although Mahsuri’s descendents may have finally brought good fortune to the island, the 1986 decision to make Langkawi a duty-free zone didn’t hurt. The change, made with the intention of attracting tourism to the island, brought not only shops but an improved airport and increased ferry connections from the mainland. The island that was once considered “Malaysia’s best-kept secret” soon boasted duty-free malls and 5-star resorts with international branding.

Like the rest of Malaysia, the island’s official language is Bahasa Malaysia, but visitors will likely hear Chinese, Thai, Tamil, or Punjabi along the way — an indication of its diverse culture. Although there are few records of its founding, a document of the Chinese Liang Dynasty dating to about A.D. 500 mentions the kingdom of “Langgasu” founded in the first century. Eventually the island moved into the protection of the Sultanate of Kedah. In 1821, the state of Kedah, including Langkawi, was overtaken by Siam. Nearly a century later, the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 transferred the region to British rule, where it remained until World War II when the Thai government — then under Japanese rule — took over briefly. Following more years of British rule, Malaysia gained its independence in 1957.

The district capital of the island group is the community of Kuah, also the location of the ferry landings for arrivals from the mainland. The town is known for its giant eagle monument with wings outstretched to greet visitors at Dataran Helang, or Eagle Square. (Roughly translated, Langkawi means “Eagle Island.”) The tie is more than in name only; eagles are a familiar sight in Langkawi’s skies. Nature lovers can glimpse the majestic birds during an eagle feeding tour at Kilim Nature Park.

The natural attractions of Langkawi, from its bird-filled parks to its rainforests and beaches, helped the island achieve World Geopark status in 2007. Awarded by UNESCO, the status highlights not only the natural beauty of a region but also its sustainable socio-economic development. UNESCO particularly pointed out the island’s Mount Machincang Cambrian Geoforest Park, Kilim Geoforest Park and Pulau Tasik Dayang Bunting (Island of the Pregnant Maiden Lake). Sustainability has long played an important role in the island’s development. In 1989, the Langkawi Declaration on the Environment was adopted here by the assembled heads of government of the Commonwealth of Nations.

LODGING

FOUR SEASONS RESORT LANGKAWI

Located on Tanjung Rhu Beach, this elegant resort offers 91 guest units and villas overlooking the Andaman Sea. All gues trooms — decorated with Malay touches — are distinctive for their rich tropical woods, open verandahs, high ceilings and marble baths. Room amenities include either wired or wireless Internet connections, satellite television, multi-line phones and DVD players. Some guestrooms and villas offer outdoor showers and soaking tubs.
The resort is home to an extensive spa with signature treatments such as the synchronized massage and the foot reflex massage. Other facilities include a family pool and a quiet pool, a tennis court and a fitness facility overlooking the Langkawi jungle.$$$$
FOUR SEASONS RESORT LANGKAWI
Jalan Tanjung Rhu
tel 604 950 8888
http://www.fourseasons.com/langkawi

TANJUNG RHU RESORT LANGKAWI

Far from the hustle and bustle of Kuah town, yet still only a half-hour drive from Langkawi International Airport, the Tanjung Rhu resort combines elegance and an easy-going spirit. The 136 spacious guestrooms feature Asian touches ranging from Thai silk draperies to furnishings upholstered with Indian cotton. The guestrooms, each with wooden floors and expansive windows, feature broadband Internet for business travelers, and windsurfing, scuba diving, tennis courts and golf for the sports enthusiast. Guests can explore the eco-friendly surroundings during a two-hour boat ride through the mangrove jungle or hop aboard a catamaran, hydrobike or sea kayak. The resort’s JivaRhu Spa features treatments from the Malay archipelago: Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.$$$$
TANJUNG RHU RESORT LANGKAWI
Kedah Darul Aman
tel 604 959 1033
http://www.tanjungrhu.com.my

THE WESTIN LANGKAWI RESORT & SPA
Situated on a white-sand beach that stretches along the Andaman Sea, this retreat is a paradise for the traveling sports enthusiast. While the ocean offers sunset cruises, scuba diving, kayaking and hours of leisurely bottom fishing like a local, visitors can also relax in the waters of the resort’s infinity pool. Land pursuits are equally enticing, with the resort offering two floodlit tennis courts and two squash courts. The Heavenly Spa by Westin is located on the beachfront; its pure white décor contrasts with dark woods and verdant palms throughout the spa. The spa includes a Turkish hammam and Ayurvedic treatment room and offers treatments such as the Malay traditional massage. Accommodations include 202 guestrooms and suites plus 20 villas. The rooms are distinctive for their teak touches and soothing cream and tan décor; all include high-speed Internet access, plasma TV, DVD and surround sound, and a private patio or balcony. $$$$
THE WESTIN LANGKAWI RESORT & SPA
Jalan Pantai Dato Syed Omar
tel 604 960 8888
http://www.starwoodhotels.com

DINING

MARE BLU

Conveniently located close to top hotels, this eatery offers its patrons (which have included the Sultan of Kedah) a Mediterranean-inspired menu featuring such Italian classics as pasta, pizza and spaghetti garnished with extra virgin olive oil or black cod and pan-roasted salmon fresh from local waters. Relaxing on the red brick patio, customers can sip a cocktail and watch as yachtsmen moor their sailing vessels at Perdana Quay.$$$$
MARE BLU
Perdana Quay, Telaga Harbour Park
tel 604 959 3830

HOLE IN THE WALL RESTAURANT AND FISH FARM

Located off the beaten path, a free sevenminute ferry ride transports patrons into the Kilim Mangrove Forest to a floating restaurant where the special is the catch of the day — red snapper, grouper and sea bass — which can be reeled in from submerged cages by the diners themselves. Part dining experience, part tourist attraction, the restaurant also offers a taste of adventure with half-day tours of the mangrove swamp, including stops to feed the eagles, explore the bat caves and visit Dangli Island. Open for lunch and dinner.$$$
HOLE IN THE WALL RESTAURANT AND FISH FARM
Golden Eagle Leisure Sdn. Bhd., No. 75A, Jalan Pandak Mayah 7
tel 604 967 5301
http://www.holeinthewall.com.my

SPICE TRADER RESTAURANT
As chefs prepare an authentic Asian meal in the presence of patrons, Malaysian musicians provide food for the soul with a traditional cultural performance. The steady beat of a geduk (a double-headed drum) blends with the music of curious songbirds perched on branches just outside the treehouse restaurant. (Note to nature lovers: Opt for outdoor seating.) Spice Trader is just one of five dining establishments at the Sheraton Langkawi Beach Resort.$$$
SPICE TRADER RESTAURANT
Sheraton Langkawi Beach Resort, Teluk Nibong
tel 604 955 1901

DIVERSIONS

Like the Brahminy kites and white-bellied sea eagles that soar overhead, travelers can get a bird’s eye view of the island on cable cars ascending Mat Cincang Mountain. Starting at the Oriental Village, a duty-free mall, the gondolas glide past Telaga Tujuh (Seven Wells) waterfall on the way to the middle station, where passengers can step off and take in the view from about 2,000 feet above sea level or continue the ride up to the top station to see southern Thailand in the distance.

Birding is an increasingly popular pastime in Langkawi. Peering through binoculars, visitors may catch the kaleidoscopic flutter of a blue-winged pitta’s plumage as it takes flight or the yellow bill of a female momentarily emerging from her enclosed mud nest as she waits for her eggs to hatch — just two of the 221 species of birds which may be spotted during a half-day ornithological expedition offered by Dev’s Adventure Tours(http://www.langkawi-nature.com). Travelers with limited time can trek through the foliage as the residents of the rainforest awaken during a one-hour sunrise tour or as its nocturnal inhabitants begin to stir during a sunset walk. Another top birding site is the Langkawi Mangroves, one of Southeast Asia’s largest mangrove forests. Accessible by boat 15 minutes from Kuah town, the highlight of a visit to this site is the feeding of wild eagles.

Other popular natural attractions on the island include the 14- tier Durian Perangin waterfall in Raya Mountain Nature Park, and the island’s many accessible caves such as Gua Kelawar. Beaches are a top draw, including the black-sand beach at Bohor and the rainforest-fringed beach at Datai Bay. One of the most photographed beaches is Tanjung Rhu, nicknamed Casuarina Beach for its wispy casuarina trees. During low tide, this beach is a short walk across shallow waters and sandbanks to the tiny islands of Pulau Pasir and Pulau Gasing.

For a history-filled stop, the Tomb of Mahsuri, the woman at the center of the famous Langkawi legend, is about two miles from Kuah. No stone identified the tomb until a military officer named Abdul Rahman deemed that the site needed a marker. Rahman eventually became the first prime minister of Malaysia. Today the compound also includes an example of a traditional Langkawi house.

Adventurers can explore the foothills of the Machincang Mountain Range atop an Asian elephant. (Movie buffs may recognize the gentle behemoth who appeared with Jodie Foster and Chow Yun Fat in Anna and the King.) Offered by Langkawi Elephant Adventures (http://www.gajah.org), 10-minute rides take travelers into a forested area, while 20-minute rides transport passengers across the Seven Wells River. Fans of the movie may be able to get a taxi ride past the Summer Palace movie set, located near the Oriental Village, but the wooden structure is currently closed to the public.

Visitors get an up-close look at sea-faring citizens at nearby Underwater World Langkawi (Zon Pantai Cenang, Mukim Kedawang, http://www.underwaterworldlangkawi.com.my), one of Southeast Asia’s largest aquatic attractions since its opening in 1995. Situated on 6.2 acres, the aquarium is home to more than 4,000 varieties of fish and sea-dwelling animals from around the world. Visitors can walk through a tunnel surrounded by more than 100,000 gallons of seawater inhabited by aquatic residents, including the green sea turtle. The newest building at the park houses rainforest, temperate and sub-Antarctic ecosystem displays, among them a “penguinarium” with an underwater tunnel for viewing the swimming penguins.

Underwater World Langkawi also houses one of Langkawi’  s most popular duty-free shopping centers, the Zone Shopping Paradise. The shopping mall is especially known for its pewter, handicraft, batik, and crystal glassware. Other top duty-free spots in Langkawi include the Jetty Point Duty Free Complex, the Langkawi Fair Shopping Complex and the popular night market in Kuah every Saturday and Wednesday night.

Tasty Menu

Raised on a diet of legends — most notably the legend of the Gunung Macinchang and Gunung Raya mountains being formed as the result of a food fight — it comes as no surprise that cuisine takes a prized place in the hearts of Langkawi inhabitants. Many restaurant menus will display a multi-ethnic mélange of tastes, from Indian to Chinese to Malaysian, all served with side orders of the island’s trademark rice, harvested from local fields.